


Change Your Mind

by AloneShadow



Category: Almost Human
Genre: Amnesia, Androids, Angst, Bromance, Cute, Established Friendship, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Hurt John Kennex, I miss this show sooo much, M/M, Poor Dorian, We'll never know whats beyond the Wall, funny fluff, robots have feelings too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-08
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-22 08:14:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 21,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7427041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AloneShadow/pseuds/AloneShadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Someone want to try and change John Kennex.<br/>Dorian can't let that happen. </p><p> </p><p>Updated - January 2018*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here's a pretty old fic I write a long time ago... I like to see them struggle *evil smile*  
> Hope you'll enjoy and sorry for any mistake.  
> *Updated for some deserved and necessary self-betaing because dear Lord my English was even worse when I wrote this fic, how people managed to read it... I'll go cry in a corner now.

"You shouldn't rely on the Captain so much for every little problem."

"She’s the Captain. Who else I should rely on?"

John snorted, clenching on the steering wheel and staring at the road, trying to hide an offended look. 

Getting no answer, Dorian looked at him, then tilted his head a little, taken aback, "Oh. I didn't know that I could include you on the list." 

"There's a _list_?"

"Well, I don't have problems with memory space."

"And how come that your partner isn't in it?" John saw him sigh so he raised a hand, letting it fall on the steering wheel again. "No, seriously, you want to talk about it- I know you can’t wait for it, so let's hear it."

"I wouldn't know where to start."

"Of course. You know what? That's fine man, whatever."

There was a moment of silence, then Dorian said, calm as usual, "You aren't on that list because I thought you didn't want to be part of it."

John stopped at the red light and turned to look at him, but the android kept his eyes on the road. He raised his eyebrows, "Why not?"

Dorian tiredly looked at him, "Really? Are you really asking me?"

"Yes, I'm really asking you. I don't see why-"

"You really want _a piece of silicon and carbon fibers_ to rely on you if needed?"

John groaned, "Oh, come on... that was a life ago, Dorian..."

"Less than one year."

"I didn't know you at the time-"

"I still haven't noticed any sign of curiosity from you about my interests, by the way."

"And my life was- I mean, you know that I was a mess. You saw it." John continued. "I know that I can- I know that you are... "

"I'm what?"

"You're a good cop. I know you'll cover my back and the least I can do is return the favor."

Dorian stared intently at him, "Even to the synthetic ones?" he asked, and smiled a bit when the detective just looked away. "So, if it's an MX to be in danger, you would go help him as well?"

"Hey, we weren't talking about MXs..."

"You just said you wouldn't deny returning the help we offer, even if I have seen you do it many times." 

"The MXs don’t need me to-"

"Not to mention those you have destroyed. Without not even a bit of regret, I might add." 

The detective massage between his eyes in exhaustion, or resignation, "Dorian..."

"I just want an answer, John."

"And I'm trying to-" 

"No, you're trying to change subject." 

"I'm not, but you're constantly interrupting me!" John barked staring nervously at the road.

Dorian closed his mouth and stared at him raising his eyebrows, waiting. 

The detective took a deep breath and said, "I was trying to say that no, probably I wouldn't be eager to go run and help the MX."

"And I asked you why."

John stared unimpressed at him. "To be a robot, you're not that smart, uh?" He said, watching blue lines running down Dorian's face. The detective chuckled, "You're really looking for an explanation on the Internet?"

"If it's a matter of mechanical properties I could understand, but if it's a simple inclination of yours..."

"Inclination? Inclination about what?"

"Me."

John blinked, then nodded, "Well, in a sense, it could be..." He said and saw him looking at him suddenly surprised. John cleared his throat to hide an amused grin, keeping his eyes on the road, "I mean that it wouldn't be different because I have- because I might have any inclinations about you, but- it would be because of you anyway."

"Sorry, what?" 

"The difference between helping you and a MX is- well, it's you. You're my partner. For you, I could take some risks." He awkwardly looked away. "And for the record, I would prefer not to."

Dorian stared at him in silence while a smile slowly appeared on his face. "I think that's the nicest thing you ever said to me since we met."

"Shut up, I've told you a lot of nice things."

Dorian saw him looking outside, but his blushing was still visible. "Thank you, John," he said and the detective just nodded before a bang rang outside.

"You hear that?" Asked John, watching the traffic in front of them. "What was it?"

Dorian quickly checked the area through the surveillance cameras on the streets and something made his eyes go wide open before they both saw something awfully similar to a rocket flying toward them from the crossing ahead. All the android could do was throwing himself on the detective to protect him before the explosion hit them.

.-.-.-.

John opened his eyes hearing voices and noises that he couldn't recognize; the light-blue ceiling wasn't from his apartment and a constant beeping made him think of a hospital...

 _Hospital?_ He blinked again, finally able to focus on the actual hospital’s room he was in, a closed window on the left, the curtain covering half of the city outside.

"Detective Kennex?" Asked a female voice close by.

Grateful for that calm and low tone, John turned his head a bit and found a nurse gently smiling at him, maybe a bit too close to his face, but he couldn't complain: she had beautiful green eyes and short brown hair brushing over her shoulders. Eyes a little wavy, he noticed. "Hello...?" He replied uncertainly.

She smiled a bit more. "You were hospitalized after an accident, Detective. How are you feeling?"

"Good... I'm still breathing." He commented, remaining still under the white sheets. He could be happy even just staying there forever, looking at the woman's eyes. 

"That's sure a good thing," she confirmed ironically while filling some documents on the tablet that appear out of nowhere in her hand.

"What happened?"

"What do you remember, Detective?"

John noticed her gaze becoming more serious. "I- I think I've had the worst day of my life..." He blinked and then asked, "My friend- where's my partner? He's fine?"

"He needed some checkups, but yes, he's relatively uninjured. You want me to call him?"

"Yes. Thank you." John smiled a bit, pushing up on his elbows, but immediately putting a hand on his side with a groan.

"Better avoid any sudden movement, Detective," she warned him. "I'll be right back." She added, leaving the door ajar.

John took a deep breath, staring at the sheets, trying to clear his mind: maybe he was wrong, maybe it has been really just a nightmare... seeing his best friend dying was only...

The door opened again: Dorian looked anxious, but seeing the man awake, his shoulders dropped in relief. However, he noticed something else: the detective' smile had slowly loosened, turning into a simple expression of uncertainty. "John, how are you?" he asked taking a few steps towards the bed. 

"Uh..." John sat better, rising a hand to keep him at distance before looking at the nurse, "Why you took a DRN in here?" he asked.

Dorian and the nurse looked both confused, then she said, "You asked to call your partner..." 

"This is not- why I should have a DRN as my partner? I already have-" John shut his mouth, trying to remember better about the accident. He swallowed hard and asked, "What accident are we talking about?"

"John-"

"You stay there," he warned the android, voice cold and angry, "Even better, get out of my room." He continued while the machine's beeps keep accelerating like a train at full speed.

"I'll to call Dr. Stain." The nurse nodded vigorously, leaving them alone. 

"No, wait- damn it." John sighed, sending a nervous glance at the beeping machine, very inclined to silence it with a punch.

"John, please-" 

"I told you to leave." He roared while moving out the bed but the sudden lack of balance made him sway forward, forcing him to grasp on Dorian who was already there to hold him. John looked down, staring at the empty space where his right leg was supposed to be: momentarily shocked from the view, his breathing grew more rapid, and it took him a few minutes before slowly look away and angrily push the robot away, sitting on the bed again. "Get out."

"I can't."

He stared at him in disbelief and, if possible, even angrier, "I gave you an order, get out of-" 

"You clearly need help. I'll wait for the doctor before leaving as you ask."

"That's not up to you to decide!"

The door opened a second later and the doctor appeared before the nurse, staring intently at the two, "Everything's alright here?"

"Get him out," John roared glaring at the android, "I don't need to listen to a broken synthetic."

Dorian pursed his lips to keep from responding, nodding at the doctor instead, and leaving the room, closing the door.

The doctor took a deep breath and then said, "Lay down, Detective. I think we have a lot to talk about."

 

Dorian stood next to John's room for the rest of the day, trying to hear something but forcing himself to not spy as he easily could do. He wanted to know what happened to his partner, but the reasonable part of him knew that spying was wrong, especially now. And especially if it was about John.

So he stayed with his eyes fixed on the floor, waiting. 

"Dorian?"

He turned, looking up, "Captain."

Captain Sandra Maldonado frowned at him, then looked at the door and back to him again, "John's awake? Is he alright? Why you're out here?" She said, opening her dark gray jacket, her brown hair tied up in a tight bun.

"He's awake and seems to be physically well."

"The doctor kicked you out? I can-"

"No, it- it was John. He told me to stay out."

She looked even more confused, but the android only lowered his eyes in silence. "Okay, wait here, I'll see what is going on." And after knocking twice she entered the room, closing the door.

Dorian once again kept staring at it, and after a moment heard the incredulous "WHAT?" the Captain yelled.

Inside the room, the doctor sighed, "Captain, please..." he said slowly raising a hand towards her.

"He lost his memory?" She turned to John, still sitting on the bed, one hand massaging his hip. " _How_ did it happen?"

John shrugged, "You're expecting me to explain?"

"It's certainly a result of the accident," the doctor said, "It's almost a miracle he survived at all. And luckily, he hasn't lost a very big part of time either." 

"Almost a year looks enough time to me, doctor," Maldonado objected.

"I understand your worries, but no one said that that time is lost forever. He could recover all the memories even tomorrow- or sooner."

She sighed, shaking her head. "Can you leave us alone for a moment?"

The doctor nodded and left the room.

John took a deep breath, staring at the Captain who returned the glare raising her eyebrows. "Sorry... it's comforting to see at least one familiar face." He said. 

She sat down beside him, next to the empty space left from his right leg. "If I had known what happened, I would've come sooner. Dorian was with you, I thought- "

"Dorian?" He asked puzzled.

"The DNR you kicked out."

"It’s still here?"

"I don't think he moved from your door since you two were brought here."

John slowly shook his head, "How I ended up with a DRN?"

"I ordered him for you." She replied calmly, "And it turned out a better idea than I thought."

John stared at her a moment, then looked down, "The last thing I saw was me trying to save my partner- my true partner."

"Pelham?" She saw him nod. "He didn't make it, John. I'm sorry."

John nodded but took a deep breath anyway. "I knew it... I mean, I kind of remember it... then I saw a damn robot coming through that door." He rubbed his sore side and shook his head, "The doctor said I ended up in a coma after the ambush. For how long?” 

“Two years.”

“Ok... Just to have another accident almost a year after my awake. That’s kind of ironic… and what happened this time?" 

"You should ask Dorian, he was with you when-"

"It made a report, right?"

"Yes, but I think-"

"Then you can tell me." 

She sighed. "It seems it was another ambush. They knew you were there that day, probably keeping an eye on you for some time."

"Who should keep an eye on me? Who wants me dead so badly?"

"Several people in our department, for started," Maldonado sighed patiently, "Specifically about this attack, we don't know yet. We're checking all the surveillance camera of the area, including Dorian's records."

"Could you not- can't you just take it away?"

"He's here to help you, John. He's your-“

"It's not my partner." He coldly cut her off. "It's a robot that doesn't even respect orders and I have enough problems to deal with right now."

"Dorian is not one of them, trust me."

"Just bring it back to the lab and leave it there or- or deactivated it, or whatever you want, I don't want that DRN here." He saw her staring seriously and raised his eyebrows, "What?"

"Just yesterday you would have punched anyone that said to deactivate him. John, he's on your side and just wants to help you. Give him a chance."

"Why should I?"

"Because if Dorian stayed with you for so long, it's because you let him." She said and saw him staring in silence. One point for the Captain.

 

After about an hour Captain Maldonado left the room, finding Dorian and Detective Valerie Stahl just outside and immediately reach for her. "He's fine but it seems he lost part of his memory." The Captain said before they could start the interrogation.

"How much?" Valerie asked.

"Since the accident before the coma. He vaguely remembers a few moments after he woke up from that, but most of the last year until now is a blank page for him."

"That's why he didn't recognize me." Dorian commented. 

The Captain nodded, "And you know how adorable John can be at the beginning... but to make it worse is the fact that he's also experiencing the loss of a friend, and also a leg again for the first time. We have to be patient, so better not stress him any further for today."

Valerie nodded sadly and said, "I'll go back to the station. Maybe they discovered something else from the surveillance cameras," before forcing out a little smile and walk away.

"He said anything about me?" Dorian asked once she was gone.

"For now, I convinced him not to banish you from the hospital..." She sighed, "He told me that you haven't respected his order to leave him alone- and I know that you didn't do it on purpose, Dorian, I know," she anticipated him, avoiding any retort on that point, "but for him now you're an android that took the place of his partner, his friend, that died in front of him. I told him that you two have worked together for almost a year by now, but... try not to put him in a corner. Give him some time."

Dorian took a deep breath and nodded silently.

She smiled a bit, placing a hand on his shoulder, "You became his friend once, I'm sure you can do it again. He would never admit it, but he's scared as hell to be alone in a hospital. He has always been, even before the coma."

"But he doesn't want me even in his room."

"Baby steps, Dorian. Look at him as if you're trying to approach a wounded animal."

Dorian blinked, shining blue lines ran over his face, and then nodded, "I was wrong to impose myself on him like that."

"Let's say you were both worried." She closed her jacket, "I'll say the doctor that you'll stay here as protection for John. About your recharge, they should be equipped downstairs."

"Thank you, Captain." He said and they parted with a hopeful smile. 

John was touching what was left of his right leg when he heard the door opening and looking up he saw a nurse coming in with the dinner. She wasn't the same nurse from before, the one with green eyes. He granted her a polite smile and a few words before she let him eat alone, but he found out that more than hungry, he was thirsty: looking around, he almost jumped when he saw the DRN in the doorway.

"I thought you may need this." Dorian said, slowly approaching, leaving a bottle of water on the nightstand beside the bed. He wasn't so close to John since the day of the accident: now he could see better the scratches on his neck and face, and the wound on his head, hidden through dark short hair. He looked down and notice the detective was staring at him with cold, wary eyes. Dorian felt the need to shake him and tell him that he couldn’t act like this again, not after all they'd been through... Instead, he just took a step back.

John stared at him in silence for a moment, then asked, "Maldonado told you to stay here?"

"Yes. We don't know if who attacked won't try again."

"And you'll be here, ready to protect me?"

"Of course." He saw his ironic smile and stopped himself from saying something he would've regret. 

"After what happened, I doubt your presence would make any difference. You can go back outside." He opened the bottle but, seeing him still there, quickly added, "If you're thinking to stay in my room all night, I warn you, I have the alarm button right here..."

"You really don't remember me?" Dorian asked, "Nothing at all?"

"You make it sound as if it's something important."

"It is."

John took a sip, staring at him almost curiously, "Oh really?"

"How can you not want to remember? Or at least consider that things might be different from how you imagine?"

"Because I'm not used caring that much of a synthetic. MX or DRN, you're all the same amount of silicon and-"

"And carbon fibers. Yes, you already said that" Dorian interrupted, watching him staring in surprise, "but as you can see I'm still here. With you."

John stared at him, unsure, then just shook his head. "Get out."

"I'm just trying to-"

"I said get out." He repeated, voice low but not as angry as the first time.

Dorian tightened his fists and left the room.

 

John didn't received any other guest for the rest of the day. He remained in bed with a tablet in hand, updating himself about the past ten months of news and investigations, and all the reports seemed been made by a certain DRN... 

The detective snorted and continued reading until he found the document of the ambush that had sent him into a coma two years before... Coma from which he had already awakened, but couldn't remember anything about it, and hell if that wasn't the most absurd thing he had to live with.

He dropped the tablet on the bed and passing a hand over his eyes before moving his gaze on the missing leg: yeah, another thing he needed to get used to. He leaned back against the pillow and closed his eyes: he could see that damn alley... he was left alone with his dead partner, then the terrible pain in his leg and then...

John winced collapsing on the floor with a _thud_ and cried in surprise and pain, heart hammering into his chest, the machine beeping like crazy. He looked around breathlessly, blinking several times, recognizing the hospital room around himself. He pushed up on his elbow, one hand grasping the base of the missing leg.

"John? JOHN." Dorian grabbed him by the shoulder and saw him flinch at the touch.

John turned to look at the android crouching beside him and pushed him away. "I'm fine." He said, between quick and shattered breaths.

"What's going on here?" Asked a nurse, entering and reaching for them on the other side of the bed.

"I fell," John explained, accepting her help to stand and sat on the bed. He tried to take deep breaths, feeling ridiculous in the blue hospital's tunic. "Can you turn that thing off? It's driving me crazy," he said staring nervously at the machine still beeping.

"We need _this thing_ to know that you're still breathing," she retorted.

"I am. I don't need that- or have my arm reduced worse than a drug addict's," John insisted, shaking his arm with several needles attached to it.

The nurse considered it. "Well, I can ask to leave an MX here with you."

"No," they said together, John with a tired voice, Dorian sounding honestly offended, and the detective flashed him with a nervous look.

She sighed, studying the android. "This is your partner? It's an old model... but it could serve the purpose if you want me to turn off the machine."

"Of course I can." Dorian nodded.

"It's not my partner and I don't want it in my room creeping on me." John barked at the same time.

The nurse looked at him in exasperation. "Needles or android, the choice is yours, detective." She said, and John just looked down.

"I'll make sure that his conditions stay stable," Dorian nodded, in the end.

She looked at both of them and nodded, starting to remove the needles and the connections to the machine from John's body, leaving only an IV bag that she warned Dorian to remove once emptied, then she left.

John stared at the robot as it moved around the room, checking who knows what, until he was in front of him, with bright blue streak decorating his face. John looked at them with light curiosity, despite everything.

"Your vitals are stable. Only your heartbeat is still a little fast. Did you had a nightmare?" Dorian asked, his voice calm, flat. 

"It was nothing. Listen-"

"No, I won't stay here tonight, unless you want me to" Dorian precedes him, "But I will check on you every half hour." 

John sighed, "Fine."

"Rest. If you need anything, I'm just outside." The android said, leaving the room.

The detective breathed deeply then tiredly called, "DRN."

He re-entered; an annoyed look on his face now. "It's Dorian."

"There’s one thing you could do for me," the detective said. "Find me some real clothes."

 

The task wasn't exactly what he would've expected, but Dorian had no intention to fail. So, he found himself returning to John's room with a t-shirt, a hoodie and a pair of old sweatpants in his arms. He was reviewing the last speech he had with John before the accident- the little smiles the detective had started to show more often- when he stopped in front of the room once again. After a moment, he decided to knock before entering, finding the bed empty. "I knew it..." he murmured, ready to run back and hunt down the man.

"What?"

Dorian froze on the doorstep and turned to check the room. Unsure, he walked around the bed and John was there, sitting on the floor, one hand grasping the mattress. "What are you doing?" He asked, leaving the clothes on the bed.

"I fell again." John slapped his hand away when he tried to help. "If this is going to happen every time I fall asleep, I should just stay here."

"John, I can't let you sleep on the floor." Dorian grabbed his arm gently but firmly, and pulled him up, checking his status. "Another nightmare?"

"I don't know." John noticed the clothes and gladly took them, "But wearing some real clothes sure won't make me feel any worse," he said wearing the trousers under the tunic before took it off, staring critically at the t-shirt.

Dorian was standing few steps away, a bit surprised at first, staring at the little scars on his back. Then, he sadly realized: he was being ignored just like any other android. _His_ John would've felt uncomfortable at least a bit, no matter how many times people keep telling him how ridiculous his reaction was. _This_ John, though... To him, it made no difference that an android was there to watch or not.

As if to confirm that, John looked at him and there was any sign of embarrassment at all, just a mildly puzzled glare. "Problems?"

"No."

"Good." John put on the t-shirt, running a hand through his dark hair, grimacing in pain when he touched too close to the wound. Sighing, he then looked down at the missing leg. 

"The new prototype will arrive tomorrow,” Dorian said, "Rudy is taking care of it."

"Rudy..." John smiled a little and the other could not help but feel a bit jealous. "I know him... he still works in that fancy lab? For the police?"

"Yes." Dorian nodded, "He was there too when you woke me up."

John studied him for a moment. "Why the Captain give you to me, again?"

"Because she didn't wanted another MX destroyed."

"And she wasn't afraid that the same could've happened to you?"

"Maybe she knew that I wasn't like-" Dorian paused, watching him staring, waiting for him to finish. He didn't, and instead said, "She hoped that with an old model things would've gone better."

"She knew that you weren’t like _what_?" John Insisted. "You're different from the MXs?"

Dorian considerate how to answer, but he simply couldn't accept to be compared to the MXs. "I am."

"How?"

"You tell me. You're the one that accepted to keep me. I wonder how I managed to impress you."

John shook his head and looked away, rubbing his side, feeling his eyes heavy.

"You should try to sleep. I'll be outside." Dorian saw him lie down and he was asleep few seconds later. Dorian smiled patiently and covered him with the blanket, noticing the empty IV bag. He slowly took the detective's arm and slid the needle out. 

Dorian kept one hand around the detective's wrist for a moment, checking his heartbeat before gently letting him go, moving the IV far from the bed. When he turned to leave, he heard little, weak moans: looking back, he found John already lost in another troubled sleep. Not sure of what to do, he carefully sat down next to him, whispering, "John you're safe now. You can rest. You're safe." And he kept repeating it, slower and slower until John's breathing returned to normal, as his sleep. Dorian sighed in relief and started to get up, realizing only then that the other was grabbing his arm.

Dorian sat down again, staring patiently at him, staying where he was in silence, wandering through the memories that he filed so far... Memories of a friend that seemed so far away now, even if he was sleeping right there next to him.

.-.-.-.

John Kennex wasn't exactly the kind of man with light sleep, but something was slowly disturbing his rest, a sort of constant humming…

He opened his eyes and the first thing they focused on was someone sitting next to him on the bed, a face full of bright red and blue lines shining in the dark room. "HOLY SHI-" he jumped back and would have fallen down the bed if a hand hadn't been there holding him tightly by one arm. John tried in vain to break free, "Get off-"

"John?" Dorian blinked, his face normal again, no more colorful lines, just a puzzled look. "Is everything alright?"

"Alright my ass! You scared me to death! Get off me!" 

It took Dorian a second to figure out what he was talking about. He looked down and let him go. "Sorry."

John sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his wrist while staring angrily at him. "What are you doing in here? I told you to get out." 

"I was going to, but you were having another nightmare."

"What?"

"You didn't let me go. I couldn't leave."

"Sure, of course."

Dorian looked at him then closed his eyes as if hit by something.

"What?" John asked, noticing few red lines running over his face.

"Staying here all night, I couldn't recharge." He looked back at him, "At least you didn’t have any other nightmares."

"Shut up and go charge your batteries."

"You're welcome." Dorian said, offended, walking out the room looking a little unstable.

John followed him with his eyes until he was gone. He then ran both hands over his face and when the door opened again, exclaimed in exasperation, "Please, give me break!"

Rudy Lom looked over the box he was holding into his arms. "I- I just got here," he said. "The Captain said to come visit you today, so I thought..."

"Rudy... sorry, I thought it was the DRN." John sighed, staring at the inventor dressed in his old-fashioned English style as always.

"The DRN...? You mean Dorian?" Rudy dropped the boxes on the bed and stared at him with a worried look, "You really lost your memory, then. You don't remember anything about him?"

John shook his head, "Apparently I remember everything and everyone except the period after I woke up from the coma... and my last accident. When was it, yesterday?"

"Two days ago." Rudy said, then smiled a little. "I'm glad you remember me- I mean us, almost everyone. I'm sure you'll remember Dorian as well." 

He sighed. "It's so important?"

"Of course he's-" Rudy frowned, then nodded, "I'm sure you will realize that. You just need some time." 

"I just need some time without that robot creeping on me."

"He's here for you. He was afraid that you could be back into a coma... we all were worried about that." Rudy said more softly, opening the box. 

John took a deep breath then said, "The DRN told me that you were there when we reactivated it, in your laboratory." 

"It's true. You woke him up."

"Really?"

"Yes."

John could see only his brown hair hiding his face. "Why?" he asked.

Rudy looked at him and sighed. "Because he’s been chosen for you. To be your partner." He said and went back to check the box.

The detective keep quiet until he saw him pulling a synthetic leg out the box. John straightened his back and involuntary flinched back a bit. 

"Don't worry, you wore it for some time by now. It won't hurt like the first time." Assured the mechanical, moving closer and John nodded slowly, eyes fixed on the leg while moving the sheet away and pulling up a trouser's leg, waiting. 

Rudy blinked at him. "Y-you want me to...?" he asked and saw him nod again, without looking up. "Oh. Well, alright. Trust me, you'll feel much better being able to move freely." He reached down and positioned the synthetic leg, checking that it matched with the base and then he pushed a bit until there was a little click and a wave of blue lines moved across the prosthesis.

John held his breath at the shiver of... something. It wasn't pain, just- something. 

"Done." Rudy smiled and stepped back. "Try to get up? Let's see how it goes."

John slowly moved off the bed, staring at the synthetic leg and moving his foot's fingers, then took a few steps, bending his knees. He breathed out and nodded, "It seems to work."

"Of course it works." Rudy nodded, satisfied, walking around him for a better check. "You know, the synthetic leg you used the first time wasn't as good as this one… and it took a lot of time to arrive."

"So what? I used a wheelchair?"

"Oh, when you'll remember it, only pronounce that word will make you want to destroy something."

John chuckled a bit, "Was that bad?" 

"The wheelchair wasn't, but you... You hated it so much you preferred to jump around the hospital and then in your apartment for a week just to not use it." Rudy closed the box and looked at him, "Well, I wish I could stay, but duty calls. Let me know if the leg shows any problem- or you can just ask Dorian. I'm sure he will be happy to help you."

"Yeah, about him-"

"No, I'm not taking him away with me and no, he will not be turned off just because now you don't remember him." Rudy's face was more serious now. "I know you can't stand the MX- or androids in general, but Dorian- he's different, and you know that." He sighed, a bit sad, "You needed someone like him, he really helped you to get better and I'm sure he will do it again."

"Rudy, I don't need a synthetic to-"

"At least give him a chance," he said. "His name is Dorian. Perhaps calling him by his name would be a good start."

John looked away and then shrugged, "I can't trust him."

"That's what you thought the first time as well... but you did, in the end." Rudy smiled at him, then said "I better go now. I'm glad you're alright John, really, just... don't destroy Dorian before you manage to remember him, okay?" He smiled again and left the room.

John stood next to the bed, testing the synthetic leg, making sure that it would hold his weight and then paused, looking for Dorian's name in his memory, expecting to find something, anything that could help him tolerate his presence, but found nothing. 

"I met Rudy outside..." Dorian smiled a bit to see him turn around, startled, then he saw his synthetic leg, "You feel better now?"

John nodded. "You shouldn't be recharging yourself?"

"I'm fine for now."

"I don't need you to stay here all the time."

"Your safety is my responsibility, John."

"Look, I've had enough of-" John turned a bit too quickly and the synthetic leg sent a wrong calibration signal, making him sway a bit. He regained his balance without problems but noticed the DRN ready to help. "I've had enough of being under your watch. Go out, go to the office, wherever you want, I don't care, but leave me alone." He finished, sitting on the bed, a hand grasping the synthetic leg.

Dorian looked at him in silence, checked his status one last time before nodding and walk outside.

John clenched his fists and leaned his forehead on them, feeling a headache ready to start. He turned toward the table where his phone was and found Maldonado's number: he pressed on the name and wait for an answer. "Captain, I- yeah, I'm fine... I just need a favor."

 

Dorian returned an hour later, entering the room without knocking and a firm gaze, finding his partner putting his few belongings in a bag, dressed and ready to leave. "John-"

"Let me guess, Maldonado warned you I was leaving the hospital?" He said without looking.

"Yes. She also believed that I was already informed about it."

"No reason you should've known." John closed the bag and turned around, "Listen, I'm sorry but I don't need a synthetic following me around, especially not one out of its mind."

Dorian could have easily gone into spontaneous combustion how much those words made him angry, " _Out of my_...?"

"I'll try to get you assigned to another agent. If they want to keep you in the police, I'm sure you'll be more useful to someone else."

"You can't do it," Dorian objected incredulously. "I'm your partner, you can't-" he was well aware of the almost pleading tone he was using but couldn't care less at the moment, "You wouldn't do it." 

"Right now, I'm quite sure about what I want. Sorry." He even sounded apologetic, before surpassing him and leave the room.

Dorian stood there, unmoving, speechless, blue lines running over his face, desperately searching for a solution.

John stepped out the hospital only to stop few meters away, taking a deep breath: the city looked kind of different, but looking around he slowly recognized the place. He rubbed his right leg, still so far from getting used to what happened: the bomb, a dead friend, losing a leg and also nearly a year of memories.

He turned to leave and bumped into what could’ve been a wall appeared from nowhere, but that was actually just an android.

"I can't let you go away like this," Dorian said staring firmly at him.

"What- how I have to tell you to stay away from me?!" John almost yelled, rubbing his nose. "Are you DRNs really crazy or what?" 

"For the others I can't say, but I'm perfectly fine and as your partner-"

"That you're not."

"The documents say otherwise."

"Well, I will fill a request as soon as I arrive at the police station, so-"

"So, at the moment we're still partners."

"We're not!"

"Yes, we are." Dorian stared at him with a calm smile on his face. "Since I'm just a crazy, old robot, I need a formal order from the Captain of my Precinct to be suspended from my duties. When I’ll receive it, I'll leave you alone." 

John just stared at him, incredulous. "Are you serious?"

"I don't make the rules, John. I'm just a synthetic." 

The detective narrowed his eyes, angry, but not enough to forget that punching an android would be useless. "So you're going to be my shadow until then?"

"Exactly."

John ran a hand over his face with a resigned groan, then spread his arms, "Alright, fine. FINE! Honestly, why I've kept you as my partner for a whole year it’s beyond my knowledge." He snarled walking away.

Dorian relaxed a bit and followed him in silence.

The city was busy as always, but that didn't bother the two of them. Or rather, the one who could be annoyed by it. 

Dorian was walking close behind the detective, following his gaze when he noticing him staring at someone or something, wondering if the human was feeling like he felt after being reactivated. The synthetic leg still under test, but John seemed able to walk without problems. Nonetheless, Dorian stayed always close enough to help, if needed.

John looked confident about his destination but when he finally saw his apartment, he breathed out a small sigh of relief seeing that it was still there. 

At the door, he checked his pockets only to find Dorian offering him the key. He stared at him and then took it with a nod, turning it in the lock and entering: John slowly examined the place, the TV, the sofa, documents and books scattered here and there, the boxes of Chinese food on the coffee table... he smiled a bit, dropping the bag on the ground, walking more inside the house.

Dorian closed the door and took only one step before stopping, waiting. 

John studied the living room, then found the bedroom and the charging base for his synthetic leg. He ran a hand over it then turned and opened his mouth, but closed it again, perplexed, seeing the DRN still at the entrance. "What are you doing over there?"

Dorian returned the same look, "I thought it was polite to stay here."

"Just creeping from afar? Don't you said to be different from the MXs?"

" _You_ keep saying that I'm not." Dorian retorted but then, watching him sighing tiredly, he gave up. "I was just waiting."

"For what?"

"The permission to come in."

John blinked, "You've been stuck on me like an octopus for days and now you need my permission?"

"It was for your own good." He objected quietly and then added, "But this is your home. I know it's important to you."

John took a few steps forward, studying him. "You've been here before?"

"Only a few times." Dorian explained. "There was no reason or need for me to visit your home." 

John nodded slowly, then said, "Come here." He saw him obeying and stopping on the other side of the coffee table. "Closer."

Dorian frowned a bit but do as the Detective said and stopped again one step away from him.

After a moment of intense staring, the human asked, "I hated you?"

"Not as much as you wanted to show in front of others."

"I trusted you?"

"I trusted _you_." Dorian answered calmly, "I like to think it was the same for you." 

John stared intently at him, then said, "You can stay for now... but don't think that I'll change my mind about you. I don't need a nanny." With that, he walked into the kitchen.

"I wasn't- I'm not a nanny." 

"So what are you, a cop? A detective?" John looked out the kitchen with a beer in hand. "No, wait. My partner, right..." he chuckled.

"You read the reports. We worked on many cases together." 

"And I still wonder how that is possible."

Dorian fought the urge to raise his voice. "You hate every android just because one disappointed you?"

"Two," John pointed out. "There was one with me during the last accident too, am I right?" It was a low blow, even for him- and even against a DRN, but looking at the android, he found only a mask of blankness. He felt so so tired, so confused... and so stupid for the strange need to apologize. He just looked away in frustration.

"You're right." Dorian said with a serious tone, "I should have realized what was going to happen before the attack. It was a mistake on my part. There are no excuses." He didn't say that the chat they were having in the car, that morning, had captured all his attention, making him feel like a friend for the detective... and now it was all gone.

John sighed, throwing the empty can in the trash. "Any news about who attacked us?"

"Captain Maldonado awaits your call to update you on the situation."

"Okay..." John ran a hand through his hair, "I need a shower, first." He groaned moving to his room, leaving the door ajar.

Dorian stood there, angry with himself, unable to do anything to change what happened. 

 

John went out the bathroom half an hour later drying his hair with a towel, checking that the stitches were still in place. Hearing voices from the living room, he went to the door, listening while he getting dress.

"...and he have every reason to do so." Dorian was saying to the image of Captain Maldonado showed on a hologram in front of the TV.

"Dorian we saw what happened. There was nothing else you could've done," she said. "It's a miracle he's still alive and that we don't have to face a massacre."

"I should have noticed something." He insisted sadly.

The Captain sighed, resting her elbows on the desk, "Dorian, you saved his life. That's your job and I wouldn't have expected less from you."

John stared at the floor for a bit, then moved a chair nearby to let them know of his presence. "Who are you talking to?" He asked coming out.

"Captain Maldonado. She wants to talk to you." Dorian said, moving away.

John nodded and took his place in front of the hologram. "Good morning, Captain," he said holding the towel over his shoulders, hair still wet and messy.

She smiled, "How are you, John?" 

"Good. Better now that I'm home..." he sent a quick glare toward the DRN disappeared into the kitchen, "aside from the unexpected guest."

She nodded patiently, "It's just for your safety and no, I won't change my mind about it."

"I don't see why I shouldn't-"

"I said no."

"I'll file a formal request anyway." He saw her showing a tender smile, and sighed resignedly, "Request that will be instantly refused, I presume..."

"Excellent deductive skills, John." She commented with sarcastic admiration.

"Can someone explain to me why-" he sent a look to the kitchen and continued, lowering his voice, "Why everyone wants this DRN to stay with me?"

"Because we all know that you want it too."

"But I'm fine!"

"It's not only for your safety, not that that isn’t important." Sandra tried to insist, "He's your partner, John. You two get along pretty well, you've saved each other's lives more than once. Just let him prove his worth to you again. "

"The great value of a synthetic..." John shook his head, "And what makes this DRN different from any other MX?" He asked and they both flinched at the sound of broken glass that came from the kitchen, looking in that direction.

"Sorry, my bad." Came Dorian's voice soon after. 

John rolled his eyes and pointed at the kitchen with his arms as if to say _you see what I'm dealing with?_

The Captain stressfully rubbed her forehead. "Anyway, we have some news from the records of the accident: there was a gray van several blocks ahead, parked outside a library, and on one of the balconies of the building we spotted the man who shot the missile towards your car."

"What model?" Dorian asked walking back in the living room.

"A type sure out of reach for simple rebels. It seems to be a launcher PG/67A-W. It followed a signal... Maybe from your car, or someone put a tracker on it, we don't know yet." 

"What about the car remains?" John asked.

The Captain shook her head, "There’s nothing much left."

"How did I survived then?"

"Thanks to him," the Captain said, eyeing Dorian who looked down, "I wasn't joking when I said that he saved your life."

"Well, sorry if I look the only one in a bad shape..." John snorted and saw her staring in silence.

"He didn't see it?" Sandra asked the android.

"It wasn't necessary." Dorian said.

"Maybe it would help him understand."

That android looked down again. "Is that an order?"

Sandra looked uncomfortable for a second and replied "No. That's okay."

John stared at them rising his eyebrows and crossed his arms. "Go ahead, please, do as if I'm not here," he commented.

"I've been damaged in the attack as well," Dorian explained, "but nothing that can't be fixed."

"I bet..." the detective stared at him, then turned to the hologram, "So we still don't know who's responsible for this mess?" 

"We recognized a symbol on the sniper's jacket." The Captain pressed something on her desk and the picture of another person took her place: a man in blue jacket and black cap; on the front pocket there was a patch shaped as a black star.

Dorian looked at the picture, blue lines running on his face, then said, "Black Star."

John looked at him then returned to the screen, "What is it? Rebels? Terrorists?"

"They appear to be responsible for the attack at the Vexen's labs some months ago." Dorian explained.

Maldonado reappeared on the screen, "Yes, I have mentioned it to you once, but it was another agent's case."

"Vexen... the MX factory?" John asked.

"Among other things." She nodded, "Right now, that center is more a kind of research lab."

"Research of what?"

"About the evolution of the MXs." Dorian said. "How to make them more human without- unexpected consequences."

"So they're trying to make another DRN series but safer for humans? Because the first one had been an amazing success, huh?" John commented.

Dorian took a deep breath, once again trying to be patient. "Not all the DRN were dangerous, but yes, they're trying to make the MXs more like us."

"Why attack me, then?" John shrugged, turning to the Captain, "Or they wanted to destroy this DRN in the specific? I sure could understand them, but- "

"You thinks it's funny?" 

"A crazy robot staying in my apartment, that's sure funny."

"Gentlemen," Sandra tried to calm the situation. "We don’t know the reason behind the attack yet, but another DRN was destroyed the other day."

"Great. So I should feel safe staying close to their target, now?"

"No one said they're aiming only at him. Rudy is working on the destroyed DRN and hopefully, he will find something useful. Everyone is doing everything they can to help, but you have to give us some time."

"I don't need time, and you need me back on the field." 

"You want to go back on duty?" The Captain looked at him incredulously, "Do you understand your situation?"

"Like I said, I'm fine."

"You have lost your memory!"

"But other than that I'm fine!" He insisted, "Physically I have no problems, I'll recover my memory or maybe not, but that’s not important. I mean, come on, I’ve lost, how much, seven, eight months?" 

"Ten." They replied together.

"Okay, ten. I'll update on the old cases and everything will be fine." He shrugged, "If something happened that I should know about, enlighten me."

The Captain sent a look at Dorian but the android said nothing. She took a deep breath and then said, "No. I don't want you back on the field yet. You can ask help to Dorian searching for information on these rebels, but leave the rest to us for now. I'll keep in touch."

"Come on, you can't keep me on the bench for no reason."

"I can and I will. See you later." She cut short and the screen disappeared.

"Damn it," John sat down on the couch, staring at the TV with a frustrated look.

Dorian stood still where he was and closed his eyes while the system warned him of the charge of 15%.

"What you didn't want to show me?"

He opened his eyes, looking at the detective.

"The Captain said you had something to show me." He repeated, annoyed, staring at him.

"Like I said, is not important."

"Then show me."

Dorian pursed his lips firmly, not ready to give up. "Is that an order?"

"Yes, it is," John stared at him with pure hate. "Can you respect at least one order a day? Because otherwise, I'm really going to shoot you myself."

"Why you suddenly care to-" Dorian interrupted the outburst as blue lines reappeared, brightening his face again, eyes fixed somewhere outside the windows.

John was on his feet as well, "Now what?"

Dorian grabbed him by the shoulders, knocking both to the ground and at the same time bullets started to hit the windows, shattering glass and furniture. "Stay down!" Ordered the DRN.

"Call for backups!" John yelled. "Already done." The detective tried to look up, then around the house, "I keep the gun in the same place?"

"What?"

"Cover me. Find the sniper."

"John, wait!"

He got up and ran toward the bedroom while other bullets followed him, missing him. Once in the room, he began to search through the drawers.

In the meanwhile, Dorian tried to look over the couch, finding a sniper two blocks away, sending the information to the police station. He turned to the front door two seconds before it was blown up and jumped over the couch to move to the kitchen, loading the guns he had in his belt. After two seconds, he left his cover, shooting two people in blue jacket in the legs, their heads covered by black hats, and he recognized the Black Star symbol on them.

"DRN!" Someone shouted, shooting back, forcing him to cover behind the kitchen wall again.

"Keep him busy, we need Kennex!" Someone answered. 

Dorian didn't miss the words and jumped out shooting another one down. A bullet hit his side but he didn't care, punching another one that got too close, then he heard sounds of fighting from the bedroom too. He grabbed another one of the group, using him as cover from the sniper. When he was few steps from the bedroom, something heavy hit him on the head and he fell on the floor, his system glitching for a moment, while the battery was now at 4%. Dorian heard a gunshot somewhere and turned to look but someone planted a foot on his head and he could only stare at the floor.

"It's really one of the psycho robots, isn’t?" Commented a man.

"Take Jordan away, we need to-"

One of them flew out of the bedroom and John moved outside, gun in hand, shooting other two down, but stopped at the one keeping him at gunpoint.

"I wasn't waiting for more guests," Said the detective.

"Put the gun down Kennex, or say goodbye to your robot." Said the man, pressing his foot on Dorian's head, moving the gun against the android.

Dorian closed his eyes, knowing it was the end, John wouldn't- couldn't chose him this time, so he prepared for the blow: he winced when the shot rang in the house and his system's alarms covered the rest of the sounds around him for a moment, only to hear someone call him.

"Hey... still with me?"

Dorian couldn't see clearly, but he recognized a bloodied face. He moved a hand, trying to reach for it- then his system turned off.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't mind the M/M tag: this is not really M/M (not more than bromance, anyway) but AO3 don't let me take off the tag -_-'' 
> 
> Again, sorry for any mistake!

"Ow."

"Sorry."

"OW. Rudy, just let me do it, ok?" John said, sitting on the lab table, placing a bag of ice over the purple bruise on his cheek; the cut on his forehead already covered with a plaster- and with less pain and protests.

"Sorry if I don't have the sweet touch of a nurse," Rudy snorted. "Black Star's people are really persistent, isn’t?"

"Or really stupid. They expected to be able to kill me way too easily..." John murmured, thinking. "If they knew I was at home, they also had to know there was an android with me."

"They clearly thought of being able to defeat him as well." Rudy smiled, sending a proud look towards Dorian that was lying on a table on the other side of the lab, "He stopped lots of them before stopping... and only because he was out of power."

"He said he charged at the hospital."

"Probably just the necessary to take you home."

John shook his head, staring at the android. "What is wrong with him?" He asked and saw the mechanic looking quizzically at him. "He treats me like a friend and he wants me to do the same... and he never does what I tell him. It must have some problem." 

Rudy sighed, "I forgot how you were at the beginning..."

"Huh?"

"John, if he treats you as a friend is because you two were friends. You still are." Rudy was staring at him with a seriousness that he seemed to have only during certain discussions, "You don't remember, but he- for Dorian is like losing one of the few people that treated him as an equal. I won't say as a human, but... you kind of respected him." 

John took a deep breath, his head resting on the ice pack, silently looking at the DRN. Not that he could respond with something that he haven't said already, or something that wouldn’t sound completely cruel... and strangely, he was beginning to hate doing it. 

 

Dorian was back online in the morning as usual: he blinked his eyes several times while the entire system reactivated: everything seemed to be in order, and he noticed he was in Rudy's laboratory. Then he saw the date and frowned, because he had lost a day. Turning, he spotted the Detective not far away. "John. John..." he left the cabin shirtless, without even taking off the cables still connecting him to it, so that all the wires keep making fall down lots of objects while he walked through the lab like a tornado.

The detective was sitting at the table and suddenly lifted his head that was resting on his arms, looking around in alarm "-mnot sleepin'..."

"John."

"Huh? Oh, you're awake..."

"John, are you okay?" Dorian materialized beside him, grabbing him by the shoulder.

"Yeah, relax... Uh- I think you should..." John tried not to laugh at the wires that the android was still dragging around, knocking down everything in his path.

"You're hurt." Dorian looked at the patch on his face and immediately started a check his status.

"No need to x-rays me, I'm fine." John said, freeing himself from his grip, but he saw him stopping only at control completed. "Happy now?"

"I don't know what happened after my system shut down."

The detective scoffed. "Good idea to charge only five minutes." 

Dorian lowered his gaze. "Sorry."

"Well, the situation was under control. A fight is always good after days spent in the hospital. The rest of them ran off when our backups arrived, anyway."

Dorian was already rewatching the last moments of the attack and raised his eyebrows, "One of them held me at gunpoint."

"I know."

"You didn't shot him?"

"Of course not. He was treating you-" he stopped, surprised by his own words, and so was for Dorian. "I mean, I could handle it. I just pretended to surrender."

"But you almost got shot."

"I've been shot." He explained him indicating the patch on his forehead, "But it could get worst."

Dorian looked at him carefully, "You should have shot him, without thinking about me."

"Hey, who's in charge here?" 

"That's questionable." Dorian commented and for a second he saw a hint of that ironic, resigned grin he hadn't seen on John's face for too long.

"See, that's the difference between you and the real cops: every situation have different solutions, we don't necessarily have to follow only one strategy."

Dorian nodded slowly. "I guess so." He grimaced at a buzz that came from one of the wires attached behind his neck and tried to remove them, "But it would be preferable choose strategies that don't involve risking your life."

"I'll try to keep that in mind..." John saw him struggling, so he stood to help.

The DRN slowly lowered his arms, letting him. "Thank you."

"Rudy said that he wants to check your back this morning."

Dorian swallowed, looking forward. "So you saw it."

"Was hard not to," John commented in a low tone, glancing at the various scratches, on the back of the android, one longer and deeper than the others. "This was what the Captain meant yesterday? What you didn’t wanted to show me," he added taking a step back, leaving the wire down on the floor.

Dorian just looked down. "As I told you already, my duty is to protect you."

Rudy appeared upstairs then, with two steaming cups in hand, smiling in relief. "Dorian, you're awake." He said and reached them downstairs. "How are you feeling?" he said handing a cup to the Detective. 

"I'm fine."

"Aside from the bullets you took." John deadpanned.

"Those weren't a problem. I already fixed it," Rudy said. "The damages on your back are another story, I fear. I need to check better on them... You can't go around in this condition." 

Dorian nodded and saw the detective start leaving. "John, maybe you should-"

"I have to talk to the Captain." He said taking a sip of coffee, wearing the jacket.

"Your apartment... what's the situation there?" The DRN asked gently as you could.

"I have no idea. Wasn't that bad when we left, bullet holes everywhere aside. See you later, Rudy." He said leaving the lab. 

Rudy watched him go and sighed. "What a stubborn man," he commented, moving to prepare the table and the tools needed for the checkup. He looked up for a moment and saw the DRN staring at the floor with a blank expression. "Dorian..."

He looked up at him and shook his head. "Sorry. It's strange watching him talk like this again." 

"You know it's only because he can't remember. I'm sure he will, eventually." He patted a hand on the table, inviting him to sit. "It took a while to breach his defenses, but you did it. I have no doubts you can do it again." 

"Everything that happened in the last year could be lost forever..." Dorian slowly shook his head, "Since I woke up, John was- I wouldn't have been reactivated at all if it wasn't for him." 

Rudy sighed, not sure of what respond to that. "Well, the doctor said that his memories may come back, and I think that's actually possible, with the right stimuli. He woke up a few days ago and these attacks from the Black Star maybe- maybe they could come in handy, somehow. Keeping him on the edge." He lowered the working glasses on his nose, "For now, let me fix you. One problem at a time, ok? "And Dorian just nodded in silence.

 

John was sitting in the Captain's office when he saw a beautiful woman with long brown hair through the glass-walls, looking for something on a screen, but when she looked up and notice his gaze, she smiled and waved, approaching him. Unsure, but not sorry at all, he got up and stood in the entrance.

"Already here? I thought you needed to rest." She said.

"Yeah, I... I have a meeting with the Captain."

Valerie nodded, then notice him studying her. "Valerie Stahl," she introduced herself, sending out a hand with an apologetic smile.

"John Kennex." He smiled grabbing it. "You're part of those I met after waking up from the coma?"

"Yeah. I was here the day your returned to work."

"Oh. Well, so close. Sorry I missed you."

"You don't remember to be back on duty either?"

John shook his head, "I remember the Captain calling me to come back and that's it... but it's nice to meet you. Again."

"Same." She smiled, then looked inside the office, "Dorian is not with you?"

"Who? Oh, the DNR. No, it's- Rudy is taking care of it for now." He saw her nodding thoughtfully and sighed. "Let me guess, you think we were best friends too?"

"Definitely." She laughed and he showed a wry grin. "Well, he seems to be able to keep you in line like no other... I think you might want to keep him as your partner."

"Oh really…?" 

"Doesn't bother you not be able to remember him?"

"Maybe, but... it's just a robot." He shrugged but realized he had probably said something wrong because Valerie's smile loosened until it disappears almost completely. "It's not?" He asked uncertainly.

"Yes, it's just- we all know what Dorian means to you, so... it's kind of sad seeing you two like this." She said softly, then forced out a little smile. "I'd better get back to work now. It's good to see you back already."

John nodded, turning around with a strange melancholic feeling in his heart. Once back inside the office, he took a deep breath and looked at various reports that he was reading and found one about a terrorist attack where several people have been kept as hostages: he and Dorian infiltrated in the building and managed to resolve the situation with the minimum number of victims. "Terrorists..." he murmured to himself.

For a second the image of Dorian sitting on the floor flashed into his mind: the DRN was wounded on the head, John could see wires and fragments of his brain, but the android stayed motionless, eyes closed...

"John?" The Captain called him back to reality, standing next to him. "Everything's okay?"

He dropped the documents and nodded, "Y-yes. I am just trying to... remember something." He tried to hide the shiver that ran through his body at the sight of that last image. It was him that shot the DRN?

"There's no rush. For now, it's better for you to take it slow." Maldonado sat down at the desk, "Anyway, The perimeter around your house seems to be safe. They updated the surveillance system and added a few extra cameras in the neighborhood as well." 

"So I can go back home already?"

"I doubt they will try another attack there." 

John nodded, "Okay. Any Information from the ones you arrested?"

"Not yet, but we're working on it. From what I've read in Dorian's report, he has clearly heard one of them say to take you."

John raised his eyebrows, "What report? The DRN should be downstairs with Rudy..."

"He sent me the report ten minutes ago."

John snorted. "Really efficient."

"He really is."

John didn't answer, but he saw her smiling patiently at him. "I haven't filled the request to put him back in a plastic bag yet, don't tempt me." He warned. 

The Captain sighed. "He saved your life. Again."

"I could've deal with them even alone."

"You sure?"

"Yes. Anything else?" He said standing up. 

"No, except that I want someone keeping an eye on you."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Do you realize that it's you who they want? I can't let you go around as if nothing happened. For today I want both you and Dorian to stay at Rudy's. I'll let you know if there are any changes."

"I lost ten months of memories, not the ability to be a cop."

"And that isn't what I'm worried about."

"Then what's the problem?" John raised his voice a little too much, both notice it.

"That's the problem. Just because you know you recovered from the coma already, doesn't mean that you don't need time now." She said with a serious glare, then sighed, "I'm only asking you to not ignore the problem. Don't pretend everything's fine, because we both know that is not."

He stared at her then asked, "I recovered from Anna's betrayal too?"

Maldonado's glare softened. "I like to think you did. You know you've never been the sentimental type in front of others... Still, Dorian seems able to read you like an open book." 

"That's hard to believe." 

"You can always try." She said gently, but the detective just looked away and left the office.

 

John went downstairs and out the Station to get some air that turned out to be cold as hell and smelling of rain. He took a deep breath- and noticed a little girl staring intently at him while sitting on a bench across the street, wearing a jacket too big for her and a hat over blonde long hair. John frowned, then saw her raise a hand and something caught his attention: there was a black star drawn on the palm of her hand. "What the..." he stepped forward and she smiled, standing and running away in an alley not too far. 

The detective ran after her and, turning the corner, found the little girl waiting for him in the gloomy alley. "Who are you?" He asked.

She crouched down, placing a little box on the ground and a white line rose from the object, pointing at the sky before expanding and showing the hologram of someone. More precisely, a man on his forty, short gray hair and dark eyes, sheltered by a long blue jacket with the black star on the chest. "Detective Kennex, finally." Said the member of Balck Star.

John stayed a few steps away, staring at the girl standing next to the box for a moment, then focusing on the hologram. "I should feel honored or something?" He asked coldly.

"It's very difficult to exchange a few words with you," He nodded. "I'm sorry to have to use this kind of tricks... It wasn't my intention to complicate things even more."

"It's you who tried to kill me, not the other way around." 

"Kill you? No, we don’t want to kill you, just talk."

"Uh- uh." John nodded, unimpressed.

The other sighed. "My name is Maxell. I'm one of the leaders of Black Star."

"Ok... Well, _Max_ , now that we introduced ourselves, can you tell me what you want from me?"

Maxell smiled slightly at him and then said calmly, "Of course. I would like you to join us, Detective."

John blinked and then snorted a laugh. "I think this situation is getting out of control..." 

"Strange you're talking about control, because that's the core of our organization. We just want more _control_ on the robots infesting our world." Maxell explained, "And from what I've heard, you don't disagree with the idea."

"It's well known that I don't like synthetics, but you're asking a cop to become an ally with a terrorist group, you know that, right?"

"Need to starts somewhere, Detective. You think that staying here, waiting, things will change? These synthetic, as you call them, are everywhere and we could become their targets even now. It's hard to say who is controlling who, by now." He shook his head and, noticing the detective hesitating, he continued, "If we don't take back the control now, it will be too late. Do you think we could win a war against all those machines?"

"They can't betray us... They are controlled already to prevent things like that to happen." John said, but his voice didn't sound completely sure of his own words. 

Maxell chuckled sarcastically, "And how difficult you think would be to change an order? Change a line of data in their system? Find a breach in a wall is easier than you think."

"Sounds like you're used to find breaches in those walls."

"We’re just testing your _so powerful and absolute_ control over the androids. Come on Detective, you saw that it's an illusion. Any MX, or a DRN..." he stared intently at him, "Even your personal DRN could be used against you."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that some models, especially the old ones like him, could hide particular qualities... Let's just say your DRN come in handy the day of the accident, to know exactly where to find you."

John took a deep breath. "You used him to track me down."

"And he didn't notice anything." Maxwell smiled, "Do you understand now? How they make us vulnerable and predictable?"

"So you also knew that he wasn't with me now? That's why you're not here in person?" John asked, sending a quick glance at the girl. He was feeling like he had no control over the conversation- and he hated it. 

"No, it's just that I know you're a good cop." Maxell said, "And we already lost many men in the lasts days."

"Say that to the dead and wounded people from your attacks."

The rebel's leader stared at him for a long moment. "You know that our purpose isn't wrong, John. I'm not asking you to betray anyone, but to fight against a common enemy."

"An enemy that doesn't even exist." John retorted nervously, "And even if a war will begin, one day, you really think that a group of rebels will be enough to win?"

"If we don't act now, no, I don't think we will succeed... we'll be all doomed."

John shook his head. "I think we'll be doomed with crazy people like you around as well." 

Maxell sighed and looked at him with a grave expression. "It's a shame, Detective. I hope you will not regret your decision." That said, the hologram disappeared, as well as the little girl who ran away through the alley.

"Hey-" John stepped forward but the box exploded, making him jump back while sparks and fragments ended up on his jacket. He patted them away before it could catch on fire and nervously stared at the box's remains, regretting not been able to tear apart the object with his own hand.

 

Inside the Police Station, Valerie looked up when he recognized Dorian's voice: she saw him asking "Have you seen Detective Kennex?" to every person that crossed his way and couldn’t help but smile when detective Paul barked against him that _NO, John it's not here, now BACK OFF._

She got up waving at the DRN to get closer.

"Detective Stahl. Have you seen-"

"Yes, he was talking with the Captain about half an hour ago." She interrupted him calmly. "I saw him leaving, maybe he's just downstairs, in the bar."

"I see. Thank you."

"You can't track him?"

"Not at the moment." Dorian greeted her with a friendly smile and hurried to the exit. He had seen John's phone in Rudy's lab, along with his pager, and he couldn't track down his chip yet because it still had to be reactivated. His was growing tenser since Rudy had discovered a frequency hidden inside his system that probably Black Star used to track down John and hit him, and now he wasn't even able to check if the detective was safe at the moment. 

Dorian arrived downstairs and found the bar almost empty. He stopped to scan the area but found nothing. When a fist thumped against his shoulder, he turned nervously- almost ready to punch whoever disturbed him.

John raised his hand, puzzled. "Sorry. To be honest, I- I don't know why I did that." He commented thoughtfully, lowering his hand.

Dorian sighed in relief. "John, I've been looking for you. Rudy got some new information." 

"Me too," John answered and walked to the elevator.

"What happened to your jacket?" Asked Dorian, looking at the burn marks while entering with him.

"Long story."

"In short?"

"A little chat with a Black Star leader. His hologram exploded at the end." 

"A Black Star leader? But-" 

"Nothing to worry about." John said with a shrug, entering the lab. "Hey Rudy, I have a present for you."

Rudy looked up from the synthetic arm he was working on. "Oh, that's very- " he stopped, staring at the remains of the holographic device on the table, collected in a napkin, "nice of you." He finished with a resigned expression, studying them nonetheless. "Who you talked to?"

"A leader of Black Star."

"Oh… wait, what?" asked the mechanic. 

Dorian was still shaking his head. "You should have called for backups. It could've been dangerous!"

"The only danger during our meeting was the young girl that lead me to this thing," John snorted staring at the broken device. "You can still get something from it?" he asked the mechanic, noticing from the corners of his eyes that Dorian was still staring at him, offended.

Rudy took a few fragments. "Maybe. I could try to trace the source of the call, but..."

"But?"

"It will take some time."

"How much time?"

"At least the rest of the day."

John nodded, "Okay, do what you can. Thank you."

"Huh... Dorian told you about- that thing?"

He looked back at him, turning to the DRN and then to him again, "What thing?"

"Yes, well, apparently Black Star used one of Dorian’s frequency to track you down... before the accident." Rudy said softly, looking from one to the other. "I didn't know about that- it was very well hidden... not even Dorian noticed it, which is odd, so I checked his system again and- now is all fixed."

"Alright. What’s important now is that they can’t use him anymore. I'll go update the Captain." John said and left the lab again.

Dorian exchanged an uncertain look with Rudy that just shrugged, then he followed the detective, "John."

"You shouldn't call me Detective?"

"I wanted to apologize."

"For what, the signal?" John sighed, stopping at the entrance to look at him. "You can blame your old system if that makes you feel better."

"It doesn't."

John shrugged and walked to the elevator, "Well, you'll have to deal with it." And pressed on the third floor.

Dorian stopped the doors with one hand. "I'm serious. It's because of me that now you have lost your memory."

"I'm alive, that's not enough?" He frowned a bit when the android looked about to say something but then it didn't. "Look, I'm not going to report you for what happened if that's what you're worried about. Rudy said it wasn't your fault so I guess I have to keep you as my partner for now." He said, removing his hand from the doors.

"It's not your report that worries me, John." Dorian insisted, blocking the doors again, "You have lost ten months of your life and it's my fault."

John tiredly stared at him and shrugged, "Well, if you find a way to get them back to me, let me know. Seriously, what do you want from me?"

"I would like to see you try, at least."

"To do what?"

Dorian stared at him looking so frustrated, but then lowered his shoulders in defeat. "Calling me Dorian, for started."

John shook his head and pushed him back. "Wait here. That's an order." He said and the doors finally closed, left him alone in the little space. He took a deep breath, trying to say that stupid name, but something blocked him- as if it was too dangerous to say that name aloud. 

 

Dorian didn't spoke to John for the rest of the day. Not that the Detective ordered him to stay away in silence, but simply because the agent kept himself busy talking to Rudy, or on the phone and, aside from few technical questions, he didn't bother to talk with the DRN more than necessary. And Dorian was so not used being treated like that, like... like an MX.

Captain Maldonado ordered them to stay at Rudy’s, so all three of them were wandering in the laboratory for dinner: Dorian watched them eating while doing some research, in silence, trying to ignore the fact that only Rudy asked him if he had found something.

John settled down for the night on a camp bed next to Dorian's charging cabin and the android didn't miss his suspicious look as the detective moved the pillow from one end of the bed to the other, so that he could face him directly. Keeping him under control.

Dorian said nothing, the silence slowly growing unbearable... He was convinced that the only way to unlock more memories in the detective's mind was pushing him to look for them- for how selfish that could sound, there was no other way. After all, when John Kennex ever wanted to be treated with sensibility? 

And yet, something stopped him: that look he saw John sending at his synthetic leg- or sometimes at nothing at all, just staring into nothing with a so frustrated and sad look, ready to break something. Dorian could see how his heart rate speeded up way too often, and how hard the man was trying to hold on... Probably knowing that he already recovered from everything ten months earlier, was the only thing helping him not giving up. 

Understand what John Kennex was thinking had never been easy, but now seemed almost impossible. What scared him so much that night, in the hospital?

Dorian had stepped in his charger and closed his eyes on that sad reality, finding at least in the dark a little moment of peace. Which, however, didn't last long.

He heard some sounds and opened his eyes while controlling the security systems, blue lines flashing on his face, but the laboratory appeared to be safe and in order. Stepping out the charger, someone suddenly grabbed on his t-shirt for support, almost falling in front of him. "John?" Dorian promptly helped, feeling him tightening his grasp, "John, what happened?" He asked again, crouching on the floor with him.

"Gravity." The detective smiled with irony, his shoulders rising and falling way too fast, kneeling on the cold floor.

Dorian checked his status, seeing that he wasn't wearing his synthetic leg. "Try to calm down. You're going to hyperventilate."

"I know that," John replied nervously, between short breaths. 

"Then calm down, breathe slowly." He saw him shaking his head, so he moved closer and grabbed him by the shoulders, trying to ground him. "Just breath. You're in Rudy's lab, everything's fine."

"Fine? I've- I've lost a leg-"

"That doesn't mean you can't breathe. You know how it happened, it was a long time ago. You've recovered from it, John, you get over it months ago." Dorian kept his tone calm and even while checking the detective's conditions. John remained silent for a long moment, still breathing fast... until the DRN finally saw a slight improvement. Nonetheless, he continued to hold him firmly.

After what seemed like an eternity, John was able to breathe more or less normally, his shoulders rising and falling slower.

Dorian gently let go one of his shoulders, keeping a soft hold on the one closer to him. He stared at him in silence, waiting to start with the questions.

John stood up better on his knee, pulling a hand away from the floor, looking sideways at him. "What are you doing?"

"I should ask you that."

"Your face... what about that disco face?" John said and blinked, suddenly hesitant.

Dorian looked at him amazed and smiled. "Dejavù?" He commented.

John shook his head and realized only then that he was still grabbing the android's shirt. He let go, but the DRN held him by the wrist. He flashed a wary look at him.

"I am only checking that you're ok. Relax." Dorian explained calmly. Shortly after, the blue lines disappeared from his face. "Did you had another nightmare?" He asked letting him go. 

John didn't answer. Instead, he tried to get up but the missing leg didn't helped. However, the DRN held him by the arm and helped him regain his balance, then John leaned against the table, breathing deeply. 

"Sit down." 

"I don't need to-"

"John, you can barely stand".

He looked nervously at him ready to answer with something angry, but the stubborn look on Dorian’s face made him give up and collapse on a nearby chair. Looking down, he heard the android move away and then come back, handing him a glass of water that he accepted. "I don't want to talk about it, ok? No night chats with a synthetic."

"My name is Dorian."

"I know that." John retorted angrily, perhaps more than he intended. He shook his head, dropping it into one hand.

Dorian stared in silence, standing next to him.

"Everyone has nightmares. I of all people should have the worst ones." John swallowed a sip of water, coughing a bit.

"You don't have to explain yourself."

"I'm not."

"Looked like you were." He watched him stare nervously but saying nothing, so he actually realized what could be the problem. "I'm not going to refer to the Captain about this if that's what worries you."

John looked at him. "Really?"

"As you said, everyone have nightmares. Especially in your case, is understandable." He smiled a little, "The only true danger for you right now is your balance. You tend to fall a lot when you have nightmares." He saw him sigh tiredly, "I can get you a walking stick if you want." 

John kept his eyes and one hand on the edge of the missing leg, then looked at him again and asked, "Did I shot you? During an investigation?"

Dorian looked perplexed. "No. You've never shot or hurt me intentionally. Why, you remembered something?"

"I... I saw you wounded, on the head. You were unconsc- you were turned off, and I was there... It was just my imagination?"

"We were in some kind of office?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"It was a rescue mission. There was a shooting against a group of the thieves and I got hit. You didn't shoot me, you helped me go back operative."

John nodded once, looking back down at his incomplete leg.

"Why you thought it was you that shot me?"

"Because I don't I like you. Robots in general... I never liked them."

"Well, it happened that you destroyed one of us without a particular reason," Dorian nodded.

"It wasn't you?"

"No, an MX. Maybe two."

"I wish I could say that I am surprised," he huffed out with a tired smile, "But you made it out all in one piece until now?"

"Like I said, you never hurt me intentionally."

"Never say never." John stood up, swaying back a little with the DRN staying still where he was, apparently not ready to move yet, "You- you can go back charging yourself."

"Are you sure you won't fall again?"

"Yes, I'm sure." He snorted, hopping toward the camp bed.

"I can stay and watch over you, if you want."

"What am I, a baby?"

"Sometimes."

"Back off." He cut short, laying down again.

Dorian stood in the darkness. "John."

"What now?"

"If you need something, I'm here."

"You have an extra human leg that I can borrow?"

"I'm serious."

"What else I should need from you, then?" He mumbled, turning on one side, only partly awake, not sure if he actually heard the android answer with a low _Maybe just a friend_. 

.-.-.-.-.

The next morning, Dorian opened his eyes on a new day and found Rudy checking his charger station. "Good morning, Rudy."

"Hey. Good morning." He smiled, letting him out.

"Where's John?" He asked, noticing the empty camp bed.

"Ah, yes, he- he said he would go back home."

"You let him go alone?" 

"Well, you were still charging and detective Stahl offered to make him company. They left around half hour ago. You can always meet them there, right?"

The DRN looked away and nodded, taking his jacket before leaving.

 

Meanwhile, in his apartment, John was looking around in resignation, running his fingers on the bullet holes decorating the walls. "They really enjoyed it, did they?"

Valerie looked at him and shrugged sadly. "Celebrate for good or not at all." She said moving towards the windows, "Most of the buildings in this area have some extra camera now, in addition to improving the safety system in the whole block." She looked back at him, "You're sure you want to stay here already, John?"

"It's my house."

"I know, but... maybe you should wait another day, or at least not stay here alone." She saw him raise his eyebrows, intrigued, and she smiled patiently. "I meant Dorian, not me." 

"Right... and why should I ever prefer a robot in my house instead of you?"

"Because have him around could also help you remember," She said calmly. "You’re really not interested in remembering those ten months?"

"Seems that there's only one DRN to make the difference- and ok, maybe it would have meant something in the past, but it doesn't now. Why it should? It was my partner, but he's- it's not that important."

Valerie sighed, "But you are, for him."

"Oh, come on..."

"Look, I know at the beginning you two were far from get along but... just give him a chance. What you have to lose, anyway?" Valerie moved away from the window. "If I know him just a little, I am sure he's about to come here, so I'll go back to the office."

"Aright... thanks for the ride."

"You're welcome." She smiled at him and went to the door, but turned around one last time. "The Captain said you can only remember the first moments after waking up from the coma, but you remember your girlfriend as well- that she was there during the ambush..."

"Yeah. In theory, I shouldn't remember that… I don’t know, I think the memories are starting to mix up somehow."

"Be careful not to confuse yourself even more." Valerie gave him a small smile and left, closing the door behind her. 

John sighed, running both hands over his face and then it happened again: fragments of memories, moments about the ambush- he was injured and something pushed him to the ground and then there was a face decorated with blue lines; in another fragment he turned around and again those blue lines on a face he couldn't see clearly, but there was a gun pointing at him, and then the alley again... did he saw the same blue lines in the alley too?

"John?” 

Someone grabbed his shoulder and he looked up finding those same blue lines. He acted instinctively and punched the face with all the strength he had, crying in pain and holding his own hand when he realized he stupidly punched his DRN. He took a few steps back, cursing at everything.

Dorian stood still, surprised more than anything. "And that was because...?"

"You- I swear to God, if you don’t stop-“ John glared angrily at him. “Have you ever been dangerous for me?" he asked staying at distance. "Have you ever hurt anyone?"

"Are you serious?"

"You bet I am. And how the hell did you get in here?"

"I'm your partner, the agent outside let me enter. And no, I’ve never hurt you or other innocent people."

"The Captain would say the same?"

"You think I'm lying?" Dorian frowned incredulously. "I wouldn't be operative if I was a danger to anyone. John, what's the matter?"

"I-" he looked at his knuckles beginning to swell. "I don't know... I don't know what to believe anymore." He finished with a tense voice.

"You remembered me hurting someone?" Dorian asked staring intently at the man that refused to look at him. "John, I would never hurt you, just like you would never hurt me."

"How am I supposed to believe that?" He asked sharply. "The only thing I know is that I never trusted androids like you, and yet I suddenly changed my mind! You keep saying that we're _friends_ and that's completely insane! Only the memories about you are gone... for all I know maybe you organized the ambush yourself, that day."

"And why would I?"

"I don't know!" John screamed, "but I've lost my partner, my real partner because of an android and I don't want that to happen again!" 

Dorian clenched his fists, ready to shot something back, but his sensors revealed something wrong in the security system: he jumped forward to hold the detective in his arms, protecting him while a loud crack broke the silence.

John didn't grab his gun only because of that sound. Turning, there was a bullet in the bullet-proof window. Then he looked up, "You're going to let me go or I have to shoot you?"

Dorian looked away from the window and slowly let him go. "I didn't know it was bullet-proof," he said while blue lines appeared on his face as he stared blankly at the living room while getting information. "There's a breach in the security system. I must notify the Central."

John stared at those lines and for a moment he was back in that damn alley, two years before, wounded and with his almost dead human partner, asking for help to a police android... Could that be...?

Dorian looked back at him, opening his mouth to speak, but the worried expression on the detective's face made him change his words. "You okay?"

John blinked and nodded once. "Maybe Valerie was right... Not a good idea to come back here, after all." He said looking outside, where a thunder rumbled over the city.

"We can go back to Rudy."

"No." John shook his head, "No, I'm tired of hiding." And he went to his room.

"So, what we do?"

John stood before the bed, thinking, then he turned, finding the DRN in the doorway, "You go back at the station and told the Captain what happened."

"I can do it from here."

"No. I want to stay alone."

"You saw what just happened. You're still a target."

"I am because of you! If you didn't notice, I was fine until you came along!" 

Dorian was silent, feeling betrayed, but good at hiding it. He nodded and walked away.

John waited until he heard the door closing, then sighed, looking at the cracked window. He grabbed the holster and put it on his shirt, set the gun into it and cover himself with the jacket. It was time to end this story with Black Star. If they wanted to keep up their hide and seek crap, he would be more than happy to play with them. 

.-.-.-.-.-.

When Dorian arrived at the station, the reaction he got was what he was expecting.

"What?!" The Captain exclaimed, sitting at her desk. Rudy also joined them in her office.

"They fired from an adjacent apartments building." Dorian said, voice flat.

"We fixed the security system just a day ago." The Captain turned to Rudy, "How's possible that they managed to make their way into it again?"

"W-well, they might be more organized than we think, or..."

"Or?"

Rudy kept his arms crossed on the old, brown waistcoat, thoughtfully, then continued, worriedly, "Or they knew what we were going to do and prepared to face the changes. If we can't be sure to be able to stop them, we should keep John safe. And you too," he said to Dorian," as apparently, they have a grudge especially against DRNs."

"Why you two didn't come here together?" the Captain asked the android.

"John wanted to stay alone," Dorian replied impassively.

"And since when you do as he says?" she commented.

"Since I can't do otherwise."

Rudy looked sadly at him.

The Captain sighed, "I know it's difficult for you, but shouldn't stop treating him like you used to. I think that's the most important thing you can do right now."

Dorian looked a bit surprised, "Really?"

"Oh yes," they nodded together, then the Captain continued, "I want both of you here, then we'll decide what to do next. If Black Star wants to play rough, we'll do the same." 

Dorian nodded, then stared at her thoughtfully. "Playing..." he repeated.

"That's- it's a figure of speech." Rudy commented, puzzled.

"I just thought that John would probably think the same." Dorian said and a nod from the Captain was what he was waiting for before running away.

Captain Maldonado sighed nervously and took the phone, dialing the number while turning to Rudy saying, "You can figure out how they manage to infiltrate into the system?"

"Yes... but it would be better do it from John's apartment."

"Then go. I think you'll find it empty." 

 

John walked around the city for the rest of the morning and started regretting it only when the rain started to fall heavily and the sky went dark as if it was suddenly becoming night already.

He asked about Black Star or strange changes to several old acquaintances, but no one seemed to know anything about them and that sure didn't helped to improve his mood. He decided to take a break close to a playground, taking cover under a group of trees for a bit. He watched few kids that were hiding in the toy houses, waiting for the rain to subside, and smiled a bit.

Feeling the tree brushing against his back, he grabbed his phone and found it turned off. Frowning, he turned it on, immediately receiving a dozen of messages. "Weird..." he murmured and got a call before being able to read them, "Hello?"

"I've been searching for you for hours, John! Where have you been?" Dorian asked, in a tense voice.

"Around the city, searching for info. You talked with-" John felt the call shut and, looking at the screen he found it black again. "What the hell-" he turned it on for the second time but the light disappeared a second later. Before throwing the device away in anger, a bullet struck it, sending it into pieces.

Moaning in pain and surprise, John kept the injured hand in the other, quickly looking around for possible enemies in sight: the shot hit silently, no one noticed it. He was ready for another bullet, directed at him this time, but several seconds passed and nothing happened. Then, he noticed a woman in a long gray jacket approaching.

"You like to play with fire, detective Kennex," she said, a hood coming from under the jacket sheltering her head, aside for a long lock of brown hair- and beautiful green eyes.

John stared in confusion, "You're- you were in the hospital. The nurse..."

She smiled and pulled out a napkin, using it to cover his injured hand. "I'm glad you remember me. You're looking for someone, right? Still interested in a meeting?" She asked and seeing him nod, smiled calmly and said "This way," leading the way.

John sighed and they leave the park area, the detective staying always at least two steps behind.

They reached a big warehouse in front of the river. John noticed more people around the zone, everyone staring at him with not so friendly glares. He stopped when the woman did, in front of a blue door.

She turned, still that calm smile on her lips. "Your weapons, please." 

"Who says that I'm armed?" 

She sighed and moved closer, passing her hands over his chest, under the jacket, where she found and took his guns; then she did the same on his left leg, smiling a bit more when he flinched, grabbing also his knife. "We are not so naive, detective." She commented with a wry grin before opening the door and gesturing him to proceed.

John entered, studying the boat parked inside, a motorboat. He stopped not too far from it and waited until he saw someone coming out from a little room with few syringes in hand that he closed in a box. He blinked his eyes several times while remembering Dorian injecting something in his chest- the DRN looked so worried... John shook his head and tried to concentrate on the present.

"Detective."

Looking to the side, he recognized the man he spoken with in the alley the day before, or rather his hologram. "I never thought you would've honored me with a real meeting."

"What can I say? Since you asked for it so politely..." Maxwell shrugged, stopping a few feet away from him. "When they told me that you were looking for us, I have to admit I was surprised. You changed your mind?"

"Sorry, not today," John replied, "I just don't like playing cat and mouse for too long, so I would like to know how you prefer to end this charade."

"Charade." Maxwell repeated impassively, almost tasting the word.

"How would you call all those stupid attacks against me?"

"Warnings." The rebel's glare was ice cold, "And I think my friends are right... we have granted you too many of them. You know what I wanted, John. I was looking for your cooperation against a common enemy... So, I will ask you one last time: you want to help me free the world from the androids or not?"

"If I said yes, you'll finally shut up?" He commented tiredly.

Maxwell chuckled. "Well, it worths the shot. Or maybe you just need some kind of _incentive_." He said and looked across the detective.

John frowned and turned around: the principal, largest hangar's door was opening and three men were dragging Dorian inside. The detective shook his head in resignation. He stared at the android when it was dropped at his feet. "Why it's gagged?" He asked, honestly confused.

"It kept talking all the time." Said one of the three, kicking Dorian's back before moving away.

Dorian looked nervously at the man, then turned to John, immediately checking his status, but one of his captors crouched behind him and rested something on his shoulder- something that gave the android an electric shock, strong enough to make him close his eyes while his face was decorated with red lines.

"We don't like spies," Maxwell said, approaching the DRN, "especially when it comes to your series." He finished staring down at him.

Dorian opened his eyes while the lines didn't stopped, staring back at the man in silence, shaken by small tremors. 

"Now... what we're going to do with you?" Maxwell said crouching in front of him, tilting his head a bit. "DRNs: perhaps the most terrifying model ever created, with their synthetic soul..."He continued and grasped his hair when Dorian tried to move away. "Do you realize that only the term _synthetic soul_ is an insult to the human race?" Maxell hissed before angrily letting him go, turning to the detective. "How can you agree to this abomination?" 

John swallowed hard, looking at Dorian first, then the other. "I get your point, but not all the androids are a threat to humans. Hell, even the police use them... we would be one of the firsts to pay if they started to go crazy." 

"If you're aware of that, why don't you want to help us prevent that from happening altogether?" Maxell exclaimed in exasperation, standing up.

"Because it would be pretentious thinking that the androids are the only threat to the world. Even when they're not.“ John shook his head without taking his eyes from him, "Humans created the synthetic soul you hate so much, or you forgot that detail?" "That's why it's our duty to correct this terrible mistake." "DRNs are a consequence, not the mistake itself. If you want to change something, why don't you go find who created them?" 

Dorian was still shaking but stared at his partner all the time.

Maxwell, however, was still looking down at him. "That will be the next step. If we can start saving people now, we can't just sit and wait for the war to start."

"Saving lives from a war that didn't happen yet- and might never be."

"Yes, because we're trying to avoid it!"

"How, bombing the whole city just to destroy one robot?" John shot back, "That's still saving lives? Or some of them are expendable?"

"Some has to be," Maxwell replied with equally serious, turning to Dorian, "And this... these abominations are not lives in the first place." He turned to one of his men, "Destroy this thing and throw it in the river."

Dorian snapped to attention and tried to kneel, tried to free his wrist tied behind his back, but another wave of electricity made him fall down on the ground again, his view full of interferences, as well as for his audio system. Suddenly, he realized that everything could finish in that moment, with no one remembering him... surrounded by people that hated him. 

Then he vaguely heard a gunshot and suddenly John fell down against him, holding his shoulder with a hand.

"Don’t kill him!" Maxwell yelled at the others, "Not yet."

John hissed in pain, feeling blood the hole in the jacket under his palm, "Shit."

Unable to support him in any way but his body, Dorian tried to drag himself closer to the detective's back to get his attention, staring at him tense and worried.

John glanced at him for a second, shaking his head, "Don't ask me why I did it, alright?" he murmured.

"I'll ask you." Maxwell interjected, crouching on his heels in front of them, playing with a small device he held between his fingers. He looked at him, waiting, "Why taking a bullet for a robot when it should be the other way around?"

John sighed, the pain in the shoulder quickly increasing. "No idea... but looks like in the past I manage to stand at least one of them."

"Even if you lost a friend because of it?" The man said with the same flat and impassive tone.

Dorian frowned.

"What are you talkin-" John thought about that memory, the ambush in the alley and the android- the DRN that abandoned him... it was a DRN that left he and his friend to die there... right?

Maxwell smiled calmly. "You remember? The DRN was there." He looked at Dorian with something too similar to a smile of pure fun, "It was probably this DRN right here. I mean, why it has been deactivated in the first place? You know the reason?"

Dorian stirred, muttering something against the bandage covering his mouth, guessing what the rebel was trying to do- and he couldn’t let it happen.

John looked down, different moments and memories confusing his already messed up mind. "It was a DRN...?" he murmured to the floor, ignoring all the sounds the android he was leaning against was making.

Maxwell smiled and gave the device to one of his team. "Let me explain how we're going to end this, John. I will leave you completely free to decide." When he saw him looking up, he continued, "We have created several useful items to make these robots harmless... some are yet to be tested, so why don't give it a try now?"

The man now keeping the device nodded and moved over, attacking it behind Dorian's neck, while the android tried in vain to get away.

John frowned and tried to stop him. "Hey, wait-"

"Don't worry. It will just put your robot to rest for a bit." Maxwell reassured, "Just long enough for you to make your decision: you can help us start the revolution our world deserves, or you can keep company to your partner into the river... Even if I doubt you’ll have the same resistance as him underwater."

Dorian blinked in disbelief, saying something incomprehensible.

"Basically you'll use me as an example for those who might not agree with you..." John commented looking up at him. "Speaking of justice, uh?"

"We know what needs to be done." Maxwell stood up, "We can't wait any longer. It's time to show that not everyone is willing to put themselves under other's control."

"And to the fish who doesn't think the same way." John finished, shaking his head. "Sorry, I'm not a fan of the _with us and against us_ thing. Especially under death threat."

Dorian continued to push his knees against the detective, but then his view turned black and white and then everything started to shut down. 

John turned to look at him, those bright blue eyes now empty and motionless. He felt a shiver run down his spine and couldn't stop himself from grab tightly on Dorian's shoulder with a hand.

Maxwell sighed. "It's your choice," he said, moving away.

Soon after, John was dragged to the harbor edges, then on a platform floating on water. The detective kicked and got kicked and punched before his hands were finally tied to Dorian’s wrists, leaving them there, sitting back against back. Trying to keep some of his dignity, John stayed silent and still: the gunshot wound bruises were there to remind him that fighting was pretty useless by now. 

Maxwell was standing on the dock, arms crossed, staring impassively down at them. "Last chance, detective."

"Go to hell!" was John's angry answer.

"I wish I could say it was a pleasure to meet you." Maxwell sighed, nodding at the others. "The war will start anyway, with or without you," he said and walked away.

"And with or without me, someone will kick you in the-" John froze when he felt his side of the platform slowly starting to rise- and the lifeless body of Dorian beginning to slide down into the water. "Damn it- hey, come on, wake up!" John tried to move as much as possible against the android. "It would be embarrassing die and be found attached to a-" he stopped, remembering another memory: the DRN making him smile... and he had called the android by his name...

But he abandoned him in the ambush. It was... he was...

John shook his head and looked around: there was no one anymore. He gritted his teeth, trying to think... failing miserably. "COME ON! Wake up!" he pulled stronger from the DRN watching, over his shoulders, the water getting closer. 

He tried to lock himself at the platform' surface with his feet but the rain made it impossible. He pulled again, one side of the platform already disappeared into the water. "Waking from a coma just to die again... Now your robotic power would come in handy, you know?" Looking down, he saw the water rising quickly and ice cold over his chest. "You have to wake up, you hear me?" He turned his head, speaking almost into his hear, "Dorian you have to-" and before he could finish the sentence, he just had time to take a deep breath before sliding completely into the river, Dorian's body dragging him down in the darkness. 

John shut his eyes, pulling his arms again, kicking in the water. Eventually, John stopped fighting, opening his eyes, watching the blurred, distant reflections of light on the water' surface... then his eyes started to burn and he closed them again, sinking down and down until both, cold water and darkness became a comfortable place where to die...

.-.-.-.-.-.-.

John came out of that same darkness due to a low and calm female voice, sounding almost as a distant echo. Moving a little in the bed where he was laying, he couldn't see anything... Then a beeping sound started and sighed. "Not again..."

"You didn't leave us much of a choice, John."

He turned his head toward the voice, "Rudy?"

The mechanic nodded as if the other could see it. "How are you feeling?"

"Blind." John put a hand over the bandage around his head, covering his eyes. "Am I blind? Why I'm blindfolded?"

"No, you're not blind, but that stays on for now." Rudy said moving his hands away. "Do you remember what happened?"

John dropped his arm on the bed. "I remember how Black Star tried to kill me... I was talking to their boss in- in a warehouse and then- I was drowning?"

Rudy sighed heavily. "Almost, John. We almost lose you in that river."

"Dorian..." John turned to him, "I was attached to him, they threw him in the water with me."

"Yes, they have used him as- as an anchor, to make you drown. I assure you, he was not happy about that. Luckily, he managed to reboot himself and take you out of the water, but..."

"But what?" 

"Listen, I know you don't care about him, but he was devastated by what happened. Becoming the cause of your death was probably his worst fear." Rudy looked sadly at him, "For him, you're a friend. Even if you don’t believe it."

"I don’t…? Rudy what..." John tried to sit up but his head felt so heavy and he was forced to rely on what he found around himself for balance: a bedside table and his friend's arm.

"You're still too shocked John, you need to rest."

"At least tell me why I'm blindfolded."

"You should just-" 

"Rudy."

"Ok. Ok... uhm- you remember the nurse that took care of you after the accident? Brown hair, tall, very cute...?"

"Green eyes. Yeah, she was there- in the warehouse, she-"

"She's a member of Black Star," Rudy nodded, "and while you were hospitalized, she injected nano-droids in your eyes. Lucky for you, they didn't affected your sight." 

"Then what?"

"Your memory." Rudy helped him to lay down again. "We have extracted all of them, don't worry. They were full of fake images and memories very similar to yours, especially about the attack that sent you into a coma. I have no idea how they got them, I'm still trying to figure it out."

"The first ambush..."

"Yeah."

"I- I've seen Dorian there, but..."

"You know that's impossible, right?"

John nodded slowly, dropping his head on the pillow. "Rudy, I think- I think I'm going to-" but he passed out before he could finish the sentence.

 

He woke up again a few hours later hearing the nurses screams fighting outside.

"Somebody stop him!"

"No, no, don't worry he's- no, you don't need to call the police, my goodness, he's a cop as well!" Rudy's voice.

Some glass shattered on the ground and more exclamations joined the first voices.

John sat up, touching the bandage still over his eyes, trying to figure out how to remove it.

"Stop him, he's gone mad!"

"He's not!"

"I just want to make sure he's okay."

"See? He's just worried, no need to attack him!"

A door opened and Rudy said, "Oh, you're awake."

John sighed, turning toward the voice while trying to get rid of the bandage. "It was hard to sleep with the mess you're doing out there."

"John, you shouldn't-"

He was startled to hear another voice close by and unknown hands on he's, but he flinched more out of surprise than anything else.

"The patient needs to rest. DRN, get out, now!" Exclaimed a female, angry voice.

"It's okay, he's fine." Rudy quickly interjected, "We're all fine, right?" 

"Dorian?" John called, finding his voice again.

"I'm here."

"Get him out!" A doctor ordered.

"We all go out," Rudy said, "so the doctor can visit John and-"

John sighed, trying to speak, "He can-" 

"The detective is under constant watch, I don't want DRN, MX or other androids here to disturb him."

"We understood doctor, give us a minute and we'll be out of the way," Rudy nodded.

"Really, he can-" John felt some firm steps, probably the doctor, getting closer and yank someone away.

"Get out, DRN, it's an order."

"I don't take orders from-"

" **HE CAN STAY**." John thundered nervously, startling Rudy and the nurses.

Dorian kept his eyes on the doctors and got free from his grip.

"This DRN is my partner, he can stay." John repeated, voice calmer.

"Detective, now that you're awake we should-"

"Later." He interrupted the doctor. "Give us a moment. I think I have to be updated on the situation. From my DRN, if you don't mind." He added quickly. 

The doctor took a deep breath, "As you wish. I'll come back later and I want to found you ready to cooperate. Alone." He said, sending an icy glare against Dorian who responded with his usual impassive, calm look.

"Deal." John nodded, "Rudy, can you call Captain Maldonado? Tell her I would like to see her as soon as possible?"

"Ok." He nodded and went out after the medical staff.

John waited for the door to click closed before sighing, leaning his back against the pillow and holding back a moan of pain from the ribs. He felt a hand on his shoulder and snorted, "You're checking every single bone in my body, aren't you?"

"It's my duty." Dorian said softly, "It's the least I can do."

"I guess I hadn't been out for too long this time."

"Everything happened just yesterday."

"Alright..." he touched the bandage again. "Rudy told me about the nano-droids that were giving me hallucinations..."

"John."

He heard the different tone this time, surprised at how he could easily make out the differences with his eyes closed, and turned his head toward him.

"Those weren't real memories." Dorian looked at him ready to break walls just to convince him. "The nano-droids modified your memory, not permanently, but if they have damaged some of your memories..." 

"No... no, I know-"

"It wasn't me that day," Dorian continued. "There was no DRN with you the day of the ambush and you know it. If there was one- if _I_ had been there, things would have been different and you know it, I can assure you."

If John would be able to look at him, he would've simply blinked, not knowing how to react. Then he grimaced, "Okay, but can you try not to break my shoulder?"

Dorian looked down at his own hand and let him go immediately, "Sorry." He said and sat down on the chair next to the bed. "After the accident, that nurse injected the droids in your eyes... I don't know how it happened, and I don't know how I could have missed that and I'm sorry. If I had notice it, you wouldn't be here again, and you wouldn't have risked your life and... "

"Hey, now don't-"

"You were going to die, John," Dorian looked desperately at him. "I was making you drown. If I hadn't warned the Captain before reaching the dock... if I didn't reactivated in time, you'd be dead and I would never forgive myself for it. Being the cause of your death and be remembered as the DRN- as the partner that killed you. I can try to start our relationship from zero again, I can work with that, but if something happens to you, I'll never be able to get your trust again... or anyone else’s." He lowered his voice and shook his head, looking down. 

There was a moment of silence, then.

In the end, John took a deep breath and said, "Help me take this off, would you?" pulling the bandage and heard him get up.

"I'll call the nurse-" 

"No. Come on, you can do it," John snorted, blindly grabbing his elbow.

"I think it would be safer if-"

"You check my status every day, against my will or not... now you have a problem with something like this?"

Dorian considerate his options and then sat on the bed, next to him. "Alright, but let me know if something’s feels wrong or if it hurts." And he carefully began to loose the bandage: after a few laps, brushing his hands through John's messy hair, he ended the work and looked at him, waiting.

John opened and closed his eyes several times, staring at the sheets, then up, down and to the side, then his eyes finally rested on the DRN, blinking a few times. "I can see," he commented rising his eyebrow sarcastically, but the half sigh of relief was evident. John saw the blue lines on the other's face and sighed, "Really? Again?

Dorian stopped, "Sorry. I was just making sure that the operation was successful."

"I'm fine, except that I think I missed something." He saw him staring in alarm and said, "Dorian, half of the things you said to me until now makes no sense to me. I know there was any DRN in the ambush that sent me into a coma, but I don't know what you mean with that _be remembered as the DRN that killed me_ , or about starting our- our relationship from zero. That's something you have to explain to me because it doesn't sound good."

The DRN stared at him in silence.

John rubbed his eyes and almost jumped when, looking back at his partner, he found an infinite number of blue lines running all over his face alarming fast. "Whoa, man- Dorian, are you okay?"

"What's the last thing you remember?" Dorian asked staring intently at him.

"Um... well, I remember what happened at the dock..."

"And before that?"

"The car accident. We were talking and they blew us up." He said thoughtfully. "I think I missed a few days... Oh, don't tell me- did I miss something big? They played with my memories because-"

"In the car, that day, what you said me?"

"Huh?"

"In the car, before the explosion." Dorian said with determination, making him flinch back a little, "You were telling the difference between me and an MX."

"Uh- yeah, well, no need to pull out that story again..."

"Tell me." Dorian insisted. "Why it would be different?" 

John looked puzzled, and a little embarrassed, but also confused. Still, he could see him praying with his eyes for an answer. He studied him more seriously, "Dorian, what happened in these days?"

"Please, just answer."

Still unsure, John gave up. "I said that it would be different because I'd be ready to take some risks for you." He replied, pretending not to feel uncomfortable talking about it. Absolutely. _Absolutely useless_. "Now can you explain to me what-" he stopped watching him sigh in relief, lowering his head. "Now you're starting to scare me," he commented and saw him smile. A smile, for the first time after he could see again.

"You remember," Dorian said, grabbing his shoulder again, gently. "You remember... everything's fine now." He finished, collapsing over the detective in an attempt to hug him, but it was more like being crushed under a motorcycle.

"OUF! Dorian- I can't breath- "John held him by the shoulders and saw him spacing out into the void, STILL smiling. "How much charge left?"

"Three percent."

"Damn it, Dorian, why you haven't recharged yourself?!" shouted the detective, watching him just closing his eyes, turning off. He stared at him for a moment, suddenly remembering him in the same state in the warehouse. He thigh a little his grasp on the android and sighed in relief.

"John, the Captain- what happened?" Rudy asked in alarm, entering the room and running to check on Dorian.

"Battery low," John reassured him. "Rudy, how about you tell the Captain to join us in your lab for dinner?"

"In my- no, no no no, you can't leave yet, the doctor-" Rudy tried to say, but then just sighed. "You want to see me arguing with your doctor, don't you?"

"I’ll totally need some popcorn." 

 

Captain Maldonado arrived in the lab in the late evening, sheltered in her dark jacket, ready to go home. "I should say welcome back?" She asked, finding John sitting at the table, not far from the cabin where Dorian was recharging.

"Thanks." He huffed, wearing a simple shirt and trousers of the uniform. "Sorry to bother you, but I wanted to hear it from you in person." 

She smiled and nodded, standing next to him. "Most of Black Star doesn't exist anymore. Soon we'll get who's left as well. Maxwell is already in jail and everything's fine, for now." She breathed deeply.

"Well... it could've gone worse."

"You think?"

"They wanted to kill me and they failed." 

"They wanted to make you different, make you their ally knowing that normally you would've never accepted... And they almost made it." She stared at him earnestly, "That's not bad enough for your standards?"

"But they failed. I was already starting to remember anyway."

"I wonder who you have to thank for that..."

John saw her ironic smile and sent a quick look at Dorian, standing in his cabin, immobile, eyes closed.

"Dorian was the only one that didn't accepted your change. He would've got himself deactivated, rather than having to behave differently with you."

"Deactivated by who?"

"You."

He blinked, "Me?"

"John, do you remember how you were with him at the beginning?" She asked patiently.

"No- I mean, yes, we were not exactly made for each other but..."

"Imagine if Dorian had not been himself. If he was just like an MX."

He thought about it. "I wouldn't have been able to stand him for so long."

"Not even for a day, in my opinion. He stayed no matter how you kept pushing him away, and he kept treating you as always. I think he actually helped you dealing with other kind of problems." 

John instinctively brought a hand to his synthetic leg. "I forgot about this too, right?" He said staring at the prosthesis, "I have a strange feeling every time I touch it... as if I'm not quite used to it." He sighed and looked back at the Captain. "I was really ready to deactivate him?"

"You hated him as much as an MX. I doubt you saw him differently in any way."

"And they added him to my memory of the ambush so I would have hated him even more... that's why he was babbling about start our relationship from zero." He looked at Dorian, shaking his head. "He was worried they could change the way I see him."

"He's was stubborn enough to not give up easily on the task." The Captain said patting his shoulder. "Get some rest, John. Tomorrow the doctor wants to see you for a few checkups."

John nodded and saw her smiling before turning to leave. He took a deep breath and stood, pausing in front of the DRN. He stared at him for a moment and then looked down at the control panel: charging to 35%.

"John?"

"Hey." He greeted him, finding him with his eyes open... a robot could be defined as tired? Because he sure looked like he was.

"Are you trying to sabotage me?" Dorian asked, eyeing the panel. 

"What? No, why should I?" John snorted. He knew that until the day before his fears were justified... It still seemed unreal. "Why you're scanning me again?" He sighed, noting the blue lines on his face, but they were running very slow.

"Only your eyes," he explained. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, but you needed to recharge."

Only then Dorian looked around, "We're back at Rudy's... John, you should be in the hospital."

"I've had enough of hospitals," he retorted with a shrug. He then tried to collect his thoughts before starting to speak...

"Check the inside pocket of my jacket." Dorian said quietly, but distracting him nonetheless. "There's something that belongs to you."

John frowned but did as asked, searching in the pocket under the calm gaze of the DRN. He then pulled out the necklace of St. Christopher, the one he thought was lost forever.

"I took it after the accident and I wanted to give it back to you but-"

"But you wanted to give it back to _me_." John nodded in understanding. "Thanks." He said and stepped closer to him again, ready to start his speech for the second time...

"You shouldn't have done it." Dorian interrupted _again_.

John took a deep, patient breath, "Done what, trying to talk with you?"

"No, I mean- at the dock... you said you remember what happened there, right?"

"Yes, Rudy helped me to remember. From my memories and yours."

"My memories?"

"The recordings before you turned off." He saw him staring, so he added, "I asked only those of yesterday. I know how much you value your privacy... absurd as it may sound for an android."

Dorian smiled apologetically. "I appreciate it, but you shouldn't have put your life in danger like that."

"I should’ve made an accord with those terrorists?"

"You know, there's one tactic often used by cops, defined acting as _double agent_..."

"Oh, please..." John groaned.

"It would've been useful to get more information about their plans." 

"They threatened us- and the city. They were a threat to the whole world from what we know. They wouldn't have believed in my surrender anyway." John snorted and saw him nod, looking down. He sighed, lowering his shoulders, "Dorian, my memories are back, the enemy is defeated and we're alive. What's the problem?"

"The problem is that I was useless. In all of this. It never happened to me before.” 

"Useless." John repeated, crossing his arms. "You saved my life more than once, and you-" he took a deep breath and tried to finally finish the speech...

"But it's not up to you to save me, it's my duty to-"

"I'm trying to talk here. Can you let me finish??"

Dorian blinked, surprised, and closed his mouth, waiting.

John ran a hand over his face and said, "It's because of you if I managed to remember, you and your stubbornness, and I'm trying to thank you for that. Since nearly ten minutes, by now. So... thank you for- for not accepting the worst version of me."

Dorian studied him carefully, silently, no blue line on his face.

 _He is actually listening_ , John thought, so he added, "And for saving me in the river. I saw that you pulled me out of the water."

"Just in time." He pointed out.

"But _in time_." John said staring at him for a moment. "I told you, for you, I can take some risks, so try not to look so surprised next time, okay?"

Dorian smiled a bit, a small but sincere smile, then became serious again asking, "What do you mean _next time_?"

"You know what I mean," John minimized, laying on the usual camp bed.

"There won't be a next time, right John? No more reckless actions, ok?" Dorian continued trying to look at him, difficult being locked in the cabin.

"Go to sleep, Dorian."

Dorian snorted, but distinctly heard a smile in the detective's voice.

Being called by name it never felt so good. 

 

END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


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